The author of America's Hidden History and the Don't Know Much About series here looks at the turbulent first half of the 19th century, when the United States went from a tiny newborn nation on the Atlantic seaboard to a near-empire that spanned the continent. Uncovering often-obscured truths and telling details, Kenneth Davis chronicles such events as Aaron Burr's 1807 trial after shooting Alexander Hamilton, the 1813 Creek War and the ensuing massacre, the mutiny aboard the slave ship Creole, and the anti-Catholic "Bible Riots" in Philadelphia. In these stories and more, Davis underscores key elements of our nation's history and character.

"With his special gift for revealing the significance of neglected historical characters, Kenneth Davis creates a multi-layered, haunting narrative."—Ray Raphael